Micah Jonah
February 7, 2026
The Nigeria Immigration Service has dismissed as false online report alleging that a particular region of the country has been disqualified from passport issuance, describing the claim as baseless and misleading.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the Service said the report grossly misrepresents ongoing federal government reforms aimed at modernising Nigeria’s passport administration system. It stressed that no part of the country has been excluded from passport issuance at any time.
According to the Service, what is currently in place is a phased onboarding process designed to migrate passport offices, including those in Nigerian foreign missions, into a centralized passport production framework. The reform programme, which commenced in 2024, is intended to strengthen efficiency, integrity and security in passport production nationwide.
The Nigeria Immigration Service disclosed that passport offices in the North East and North Central regions have already been successfully onboarded. These include offices in Borno, Yobe, Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger and Plateau states, as well as 35 international stations across Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.
It further revealed that the scheduled migration of passport offices in the South East states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo is currently underway. The process also covers five additional international stations located in Italy, Greece, Spain, Switzerland and Austria, all within the first quarter of 2026.
The Service explained that a structured work plan calendar has been put in place to ensure a smooth transition, noting that the phased approach is necessary to avoid disruptions and to maintain service delivery timelines during the reform process.
The Nigeria Immigration Service urged members of the public to disregard speculative narratives capable of creating unnecessary tension, assuring citizens that the reforms are being implemented in the overall national interest. It reaffirmed its commitment to equitable service delivery and operational excellence across all regions of the country.
